Dear Younger Patient,
At Cestria we try to be as helpful, friendly and approachable as we can for young people. So, from roughly mid-teen years on ….
Did you know:
- If there is something personal or embarrassing you want to discuss, it’s up to you if you come to your appointment on your own, with a parent, a friend or with another trusted adult.
- We have male and female doctors at the surgery. When you book an appointment you can ask if you have a preference for who you see.
- Contraception is provided FREE.
- Anything you discuss with your doctor is CONFIDENTIAL and we will not discuss your visit with anyone else without your permission. There are very rare exceptions to this if you or someone else are at risk of serious harm and we would always try to discuss this with you first.
Appointments
You can book appointments a few weeks in advance at a time to suit you. Doctor and Nurse Practitioner appointments are Mon-Fri between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm and until 8 pm on Thursdays.
If it is more urgent then you can leave us a phone number and one of the doctors or nurse practitioners will call you back that day. Some problems can be sorted out over the phone or you may be offered an appointment on that or the next day.
You can make an appointment at reception, or telephone 0191 388 7771, or if you are over 16 you can talk to reception staff about registering to book appointments online.
Let’s talk about sex!
We are quite used to talking about sex. Whether it is to discuss your options for contraception, worries about STI’s (sexually transmitted infections) or if you are struggling with emotions about your sexuality we can provide advice and support.
Feeling down or worried?
It is common for all of us to go through times of feeling low or anxious but if this is becoming a problem for you, or if feelings of stress or anger are becoming too much, please book an appointment so we can talk things through.
Useful contacts:
www.childline.org or Freephone 0800 1111 - a free, confidential service for anyone under 19 to provide advice and support.
www.themix.org.uk or Freephone 0808 808 4994 - free information and support for under 25’s in the UK.
www.b-eat.co.uk or Helpline 0345 634 1414 - Charity supporting those affected by eating disorders.
http://tinyurl.com/nhscashclinic - a timetable for the contraception and sexual health clinics in Chester le Street.
www.youngminds.org.uk - Children and young people’s wellbeing and mental health.
www.healthtalk.org - Offering information about common disease conditions through articles and discussion forum.
www.nhs.uk/worthtalkingabout/Pages - Information and advice about sex and contraception.